Lord, Let Me Let You Love Me

Lord, Let me let You love me
I give You my permission
Allow me to return Your Gaze
Of focus and devotion
Undo my soul’s bleak hope-erosion
With sunny praise

Lord, Let me let You change me
I give You my surrender
Convert my “heart of stone to flesh” (1)
Of coldness to combustion
Your Heart ablaze with mine combine
Entwine and mesh

Lord, Let me let You use me
Of me, take full possession
My eyes, my mouth, my feet and hands
My words and deeds and glances
Are Yours as lances to defeat
The dark one’s plans

Lord, Let me let You quench my thirst
My soul is parched and wearied
Outpour Your Living Water fresh
To sprout the seeds You’ve buried
To bloom within our secret plot
A hidden creche

*****

(1) Ezekiel 36:26

Father, Love Them Through Me

For all the folks who drive too fast, too slow, or without care
Father, Love Them Through Me!
Without repair… With prayer… Without limit…

One second! AND for each one who lets me merge last-minute

For every rude or cold cashier, or waiter slowly serving
Father, Love Them Through Me!
Without deserving… With grace… With a smile…

Oh wait! AND for each one who goes the extra mile

For every neighbor who just won’t keep up or mow their yard
Father, Love Them Through Me!
Without regard… With patience… Without sass…

Oh yes! AND for the one who cuts my grass- unasked

For every child who whines or screams; whose piled-up clothes beg folding
Father, Love Them Through Me!
Without scolding… With firmness… Without remorse…

One minute! AND for the teen who likes to skip his chores

For workmates who don’t ‘preciate and often leave me thankless
Father, Love Them Through Me!
Without crank’ness… With patience… With coffee Venti…

Oh yeah! AND for each one whose gratitude is plenty

For friends who don’t return my texts or multiple voicemailing
Father, Love Them Through Me!
Without failing… With promptness… With contancy…

There’s more! AND for each one who calls to check on me

For every fellow who ignores or mocks me without cause
Father, love them through me!
Without pause… With mercy… Without a scoff…

Oh yes! AND for each one I’m tempted to blow off

For everyone who interrupts or daydreams while I’m speaking
Father, Love Them Through Me!
Without freaking… With focus… Without tension…

Forgot to mention! AND for each one who listens with attention

**********

Inspired by “Litany for Priests and Seminarians” written by the Sisters of Life (sistersoflife.org)

A Farmer’s Prayer

Till and plow our plots, O Savior
’til Your plans they follow
Thresh our pride and selfishness
Refresh our hearts lain fallow

Sow, O God, your Gospel seeds
That grow Your Spirit’s fruit
Pick the clods and rocks and weeds
That won’t let grace take root

Fertilize our souls, O King
Yield bumper crops of serving
Spray the bugs of doubt that cling
So gnawing and unnerving

Irrigate what’s dry and bored
And spade the thorns of sadness
Cultivate our wills, O Lord
To bear the cross with gladness

God…

Please sow…

Then I’ll reap…

From both earthly…

And heav’nly lands…

The hundred-fold harvest…

Of life-giving grace and goodness!

***

St. Isidore & St. Maria, patrons of farmers, pray for all farmers, especially those experiencing flooding, drought, etc.!

Rest with the Angels, ‘n Rise with the Saints!

Faith, fam’ly, friends – And work! I’m content
Brought home the bacon – Paid bills, plus the rent
Sweated all day! – Four walls, brush and paint
Was asked to stay late – But miss dinner? I ain’t!

Through all of life’s stresses

I know that God blesses

As we work with the angels

‘n strive with the saints!

Zonked after work – I’m totally spent
Honey-do list? – Will make a small dent
Fun with the kids – Playing tag ’round the spruce
Nods interrupt – Our reading of Seuss

Tried wife in chess

She won! must confess

We will rest with the angels

‘n rise with the saints!

Sleeping is spotty – Kids coughing and fluing
Rooster is crowing – We best start the doing
Young ones are rustling – There’s diapers ‘n crying
Mama is hustling – Eggs, bacon a’ frying

To God I am grateful

For grace by the plateful

We will serve them like angels

‘n raise up young saints!

Morning is trying – Undribbling kids chins
Food-flinging, whining – Shrill quibbling, kicked shins
Phone-ringing! Searching – For boots in the bin
Late-to-work! Lurching – To kiss all my kin

Throughout this whole day

For family we’ll pray

We will call on Archangels

‘n beg prayers of great Saints!

The day is laborious – My sprained wrist uproarious
Boss yelling complaints – I’ve spilled pricey paints
Applied the wrong stain – Morale? Down the drain
Your peace, Lord, restore – My sore heart unpain

Please take all my messes

Each thought that oppresses

My selfish transgresses

All painful distresses

GREAT ARTIST, RETOUCH MY ROUGH BUNGLED-UP BRUSHWORK

TRANSFORM IT TO BEAUTIFUL ARTWORK…

THAT ROUSES AMAZING AND HOPE-RAISING HEARTWORK!

Lord, send us Your angels

‘n make us Your saints!

*****

God works all things to the good for those who love Him (Rom 8:28)

He has made everything beautiful in its time (Eccl. 3:11 ESV)

O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. (Is. 64:8)

Closer than Close

Lord, You’re not simply so close to me

Nor merely closer than most to me

You’re “closer than close”*, than

Heartbeat or breath, than

Even I am to myself**

+++

If I could stroll in the rain with my Savior

Beneath one umbrella we’d stay dry and warm

Not simply close, but

Closer than close, so

Lord, let it rain! Let it storm!

+++

If I could skydive strapped tight to the Savior

Then hurtling to earth I’d feel safe ‘spite the fright

Not simply near to Him

Nearer than near to Him

Lord, turn my falls into flight!

+++

If I could cliff-climb while roped to my Savior

Then struggling together we’d rise “to the heights”***

Not simply taut, but

Tighter than taut, so

Lord, on heav’n’s peak set my sights

+++

If I repeat the “I do!” of the Bridegroom

Then He’d be my All beyond all my desires

Not simply dear, but

Dearer than dear

Closer than close

Nearer than near! May our hearts

Melt to one in love’s Fire

***********

*Credit for this phrase goes to Thora Kate Wease

**St. Augustine, Confessions: “Lord You were closer to me than I am to myself.”

***Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati’s phrase that he wrote on a photo of him mountain climbing

To Share With You Is To Console You

To Share With You

Is

to Console You

When-I feel so rejected
I share in Your plight
“The Son of Man came to His own…
And even His own did not care to receive Him” (Jn. 1:11)
Receive my own care day and night

To Thirst With You

Is

to Console You

When-I feel tired and parched
With You may I ache
“I thirst” (Jn. 19:28) for you; “Give me to drink” (Jn. 4:7)
“They gave me dour gall; sour wine for my thirst” (Psalm 69:21)
Your thirst, with my love, may I slake

To Think of You

Is

to Console You

When-I feel so insulted
With You may I pray
“Reproaches have broken my heart…
I looked for just one to console me, but… found none” (Ps. 69:20)
Find me! I’ll console You today

To Cry With You and

To Die With You

Is

to Console You

When-I feel like I’m dying
With You may I cry
“God, why’ve You abandoned me now?” (Ps. 22; Mk. 15:34)
“Into Your hands, Father, I pour my spirit”
O Christ, pour Your SPIRIT…

Your LOVE…

Your LIFE from Your side!

*****

“…one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.” (Jn. 19:34)

“…that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that if possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians 3:10-11)

Reckless or Wreckless?

Lord, help me steer unrecklessly

So I will always wreckless be!

And never drive buzzed dreadfully

Nor risk a deadly texting spree!

Lord, help me curb my speediness

Not speed right into curbs and stress!

It’s best I brake for fog and rain

Lest bones I break in crashing pain!

To thwart the doom of deer and tree

Don’t let me zoom quite carelessly!

Or end up (though unfatally)

Quite carless and embarrassed, see?

Not Despite but Through

Dear Holy Spirit make me holy, not despite but through
My weaknesses, temptations, and mistakes I sadly rue
Come Holy Spirit, sanctify me, not despite but through
My circumstances, which the devil tempts me to eschew

Dear Holy Spirit make me Christlike, not despite but through
The people that intrude, are rude or crude, in rotten mood
Come Holy Spirit purify me, not despite but through
The aches and pains, the devil’s snares… from which my cross, You hew

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself
and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Lk. 14:27

Grant Me the Grace

I wrote this poem on retreat in 2021, inspired by Saint Ignatius of Loyola’s “First Principal and Foundation” and St. Richard of Chichester’s famous prayer

Grant me O Lord, this grace for my soul,

as I strive toward, life’s target and goal:

to know Christ more clearly, His thoughts words and deeds,

to love Him more dearly, His care my soul needs,

to follow Him more nearly, through service and prayer,

to shine His light cheerily, on all who despair,

to know and to love and to serve Jesus now,

gives purpose to everything: pen, lathe, or plow,

please grant me this grace my dear Father above,

Your Will I’ll embrace- even pain- with His love

Conform My Nonconformities

LukeWARMness’s banalities?
“PerFORM for love” mentalities?
BrainSTORM the possibilities
Of ALL God’s capabilities

UnFORM, God, my deformities
ConFORM my nonconformities
ReFORM my ugly bigotries
InFORM my “ignorancities”

Please FORM my will
And WARM my chill
TransFORM my mind
My heart unblind

A Prayer for Coffee Lovers

*Father, plant me in your field and water me with Grace

Make my roots to spread and shine Your Son-light on my face

Bid my buds to bloom with flowers sprouting many-a bean

Harvest me and ship me to the priest to wash me clean

*Roast me through my Confirmation with Your Spirit’s flame

Grind my will “espresso grind” destroying all my shame

Brew me drip by drip with Living Water! Fill Your mug

*Serve me sip by sip to folks- a smile, a word, a hug

*Could I be a barista in Your heav’nly coffee shop?

Please, what’s your order, Lord? A latte with a cross on top?

For Padre Pio I would brew a Cappuccino fast 

A caffè mocha for Therese whose love for God is vast 

*May Your love be as caffeine (without adverse effects)

Spurring me to Mercy’s deeds as Your wise hand directs

Let me “get my fix” from You, not coffee which grows cold

Then I’ll spread Christ’s fragrance (2 Cor. 2:15) with Your miracles so bold

*Now, Coffee is God’s gift, but THE best part of waking up

Ain’t Folgers, Tim’s, or Starbucks, but the Eucharistic cup

Please Quench my thirst each morning, Jesus, with Your Precious Blood

Then drench me with the Spirit Your Heart gushes like a flood
   

Whoever Sees Me (John 14)

Want to see the Father? Look at Christ His Son
Want to hear the Father? Hear His Precious One
Want to taste the Father’s care?
Schedule daily time for prayer
Soak in scripture, silent there
Sin and stress you’ll shun

Want to touch the Father? Touch the Risen Lord
Want to hug the Father? It’s not an award
Rather it’s a gift that’s free
Savior’s arms stretched out for thee
His embrace you’ll never flee
Joy will be restored

Want to trust the Father? Heart with fear enticed?
Doubt and painful worry? Put your trust in Christ
Each time Satan give his cue
Says you’re worthless, stupid too
Pray, “Jesus I trust in You!”… He’ll
Crush the devil’s heist

Want to know the Father? Get to know His Word
Ask the Holy Spirit – Soon you’ll be assured
As He forms your mind and heart
Lies ’bout God will soon depart
Father-love He will impart
Holy Longing stirred

The Embrace of the Everlasting Arms

Prayer is…

MEETING Jesus heart-to-heart…
before meeting Him face-to-face
SEEING Jesus with eyes of the soul…
before seeing Him with eyes of the flesh
HEARING God with ears of the heart…
before hearing Him with ears of the head
EMBRACING God with arms of faith…
and in the here-and-now, letting the “everlasting arms” embrace you!

“The eternal God is your refuge, and his everlasting arms are under you” -Deuteronomy 33:27 New Living Translation (NLT)

Blessing Before Meals

Father,
Please Bless this food real good we pray
And may it give us strength today
To love each other heartfully
And share your love quite artfully
In Jesus’ Name, Amen!

Prayer Post-Preaching

Thanks Lord for letting me scatter Your Word

Thanks in advance for the wat’ring You’ll do

Thanks in advance for the fruit from what’s heard

Help us all fall in love only with You. Amen!